We are a sports-crazed nation in the US. We love our teams and the competition and all the festive rituals that accompany game day. We admire the great performances of athletes – yet fail to make the link between what they do to improve performance and how we might do the same in our professional careers.
Above all, I continue to have a deep belief that positive change is possible – for each person, for every family, for all organizations, and for our society and world. Note that I said possible – and not easy.
When there is a whiff of change in an organization, one begins to see some very interesting behaviors. Perhaps not
A mentor of mine called it the “Prison of Perfection”. She was referring to this all absorbing effort to get things perfect – and to not be satisfied with anything less than 24 carat gold results. No second place finishes. No 4.5 scores on a scale of 1 to 5.
Problem solving is looking in the rear view mirror. It’s fixing something that was not right in the first place. Today things move so quickly, that you may be fixing something that is no longer needed.
Another warning sign is when leaders are absent from a change effort. Yes, they may loudly proclaim, in word and writing, about the change that needs to happen. They may even resource the effort and ask for regular updates. But that is not all of what is needed. Leaders need to show up in visible and tangible ways. Actions speak louder than words.
When leaders are willing to do the inside work that leads to the outside results they want – amazing things happen. The shift in focus creates a domino effect. The leader becomes a powerful role model. The organization is willing to follow. Resistance fades, as people are being led and not coerced.
It’s gotten to be a cliché. The pace of change is increasing and is unlikely to slow down anytime soon.
The mind is a powerful influencer on the results we experience. And I am not talking about “intellect” but the mental state that accompanies us as we take on a challenge.
Today my Entrepreneurship students at Purdue voted on their top Super Bowl ads. Our goal was to examine a few
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